


Gray

by Sceritz



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Original Trilogy, Star Wars: Rebels
Genre: Gen, Gray Jedi, Jedi, Post-Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith, Pre-Star Wars: A New Hope, Pre-Star Wars: Rebels, Star Wars References
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-12-29
Updated: 2018-05-06
Packaged: 2019-02-23 12:06:46
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 6,417
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13189743
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sceritz/pseuds/Sceritz
Summary: A rebel cell running a routine mission finds itself in over their heads as the forces of the dark empire come to bare. With the help of former Jedi Ahsoka Tano they find themselves fighting the enemy back, but with unexpected parties involved and questioning their purposes, they wonder how black and white their position in this war truly is.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> So I never tried fanfic. I'm trying now. Let's see how this goes.

“This shouldn’t be this easy.”

“Hurry up, Vixen Two, we don’t have time for your bragging. If they catch you-” Commander Verlaine started.

“Oh relax, I’ve got Fahili watching my back. Besides I'm not bragging.” The young Mirialan said as her fingers tapped madly on the screen of her datapad like the legs a probe killer spider droid. Given the gravity of the mission, Adara was hardly portraying the level of tension that gripped her fellow teammates. She liked to believe that was more confidence than conceit.

“Codenames on the comms…” Fahili's voice came through the encrypted channel. She maintained her usual cool, but Adara could sense the hint of annoyance in the way she dragged the last word out. 

Adara grinned to herself. She couldn't help prodding at Fahili's nerves more, just for the fun of it. “Oh please” she said as she finished inputting the data at the panel, and sealing it up as she found it. “You act as if anyone would know the difference between Adara and Vixen. Nobody here knows who we are.”  She turned to face two men in all white imperial armor. Bucket-like helmets that seemed to draw a surpressed frown at the ventilation openings for their mouths, sat on their heads. They each held the standard issue E-11 automatic blaster rifles.

“Who are you?” the first Stormtrooper said, his voice altered by the masks filter.

“Yeah, what’s your business over here?” said the other.

Adara was stunned for a moment. Based on their prior recon there shouldn’t have been another guard patrol in this sector for another 3 minutes at the least. She put on her most stunning smile. “Manifest maintenance.” She said cheerfully. That... may not have been the best approach. Regardless of being dressed the part, no non-imperial contract hires were ever _happy_ to work at Kuat Drive Yards. Most of them either had no choice or were forced to work here to fulfill Imperial legislated indentured obligations. And though Mirialan’s looked mostly human, her green skin and the tattoo markings on her face were enough to stir the Empire’s prejudices.

One of the white armored soldiers angled his head at the other. “I don’t think contract hires are authorized shipping and receiving positions.” He turned back to her. “Let me see your identification.”

“Oh, yes I’ve got it just right…” she patted down her engineering suit as if looking for it as she mumbled, “any second now, Fahili…”

The sound of two blaster bolts filled the air, and the two Stormtroopers clattered in heap piles, a singed black hole smoking from each of their backs. Adara sighed “Oh thank the f-“

“Go.” Fahili interrupted over her communicator, even as she shouldered her sniper blaster. From her perch up high, she watched Adara run. The mission was supposed to be relatively easy. With a mining freighter and authorization codes provided by friendly contacts within the Imperial Senate, Vixen Squadron was tasked to gain clearance to the Kuat Drive Yards where Adara, the team’s best slicer, could slice in and steal information containing the locations of various Imperial manufacturing operations, all which fall under Kuat’s engineering business. Given their disguises as contract engineers, all would have gone well... if the troopers hadn’t caught Adara at a panel that no worker had any businesses being near. The fact that Fahili had to shoot them further complicated things.

“Vixen Two, Vixen Three, what is going on in there?” Commander Verlaine spoke over the comm. Her voice was calm, but they could still sense the tension beneath her thick Alderaanian accent.

Fahili climbed down from the perch that she'd been watching over Adara from as she accessed her comm. “Vixen Leader, Vixen Two ran into some troopers. I took them. I recommend you take off. We’ll find our own way off this station.”

“That is a negative, both of you get your hippabore loving butts back here on the double!”

Fahili smiled. As if she truly thought Verlaine would accept that. “Roger, Vixen Leader”

Fahili had skulked her way through the manufacturing facility earlier. That was her specialty. Stealth and quiet assassinations. She usually had no problem not being seen. Never mind the fact that she was a fully armed Nautalon with a head of long dreadlock-like lekku, large dark eyes, and smooth beautiful blue skin.

But now she was on the run, and didn't have time to be careful.  Even if she had been wearing contract worker’s engineering coveralls, there was no way to explain the Ion-X Sniper Blaster strapped to her back. She would be fighting her way out of this one.

She could see Adara ahead of her several meters ahead, making quick stride- trying to move fast without _looking_ like she was trying to move fast. “I’m right behind you Vixen Two. Keep moving.”

She didn’t respond, but she kept moving. Kuat Drive Yards was a large space station that wrapped around the planet of Kuat like a ring. Its primary task was manufacturing ships and other war machines. The facility was walls, floors, and ceilings of sleek metal and full of production equipment all around. Workers, mostly contract, moved to and fro, pushing power generators, hyperdrives, manufactured doonium and more via grav lifts. To the left and right, actuating arms worked on the heads of walkers, and the engines of TIE Fighters, or the various components of the massive Imperial Star Destroyers. Whenever possible Fahili used this equipment as cover, however, she knew that in trying to keep up with Adara, she would soon be caught.

They had almost arrived and though they were only two corridors away, unlike the engineering bays, in the corridors, there was nowhere to hide. As expected, in the first corridor Adara passed up a patrol of four storm troopers who double timed down the hall. They paid her no mind, but upon seeing Fahili and her weapons, they wasted no time to start firing.

Fahili took cover behind the corner as the blaster fire flashed by. Adara kicked at the back of the leg of the last Stormtrooper who passed her and snatched his blaster rifle. She swung it hard like a bat, cracking next closest one in the head. Before the other two could respond, she fired. They dropped, unmoving. “You’d think they’d make their armor strong enough to stop small arms fire.” Adara said as she held the blaster rifle up at her side.

Fahili glanced around the corner to see her teammates handiwork and smiled. “Well done.”

“Yeah, I know. I’m pretty amazing. What can I say?” The two of them sprinted into the next corridor. Fahili retrieved a dual set of automatic blaster pistols from their harnesses and aimed forward. She knew more Stormtroopers were coming. Their heavy armored foot falls betrayed them. As soon as they came around the corner, she was firing, taking them down before they even had a chance to attack. Adara didn’t even have to fire a shot.

The next corner opened up into the docking bay where Stormtroopers were scrambling for positions. A few of them had arrived close enough for Fahili to make melee contact. Big mistake. The Nautolan leaped off the nearest wall, her lekku spinning wildly around her head like long locks of hair as her foot found purchase in a Stormtrooper’s face. Pushing off his head she used that momentum to spin and fire at the others with both her blaster pistols. Adara assisted with her own blaster fire, keeping as close as possible to the wall for cover

“Vixen Two, Vixen Three, get down now!” another voice shouted. Both Fahili and Adara hit the deck. In the next moment, nearly every Stormtrooper on the ground level was mowed down from their rear as a dark skinned human woman with a heavy repeater blaster swung the large two-handed weapon from left to right in a wide, sweeping arch. The impact of its bolts sending the white armored imperials careening with every hit.

“Woo! Assata!” Adara cheered as her and Fahili got to their feet and sprinted toward the ramp of their ship where Assata was standing, the tip of her multi barrel gun, smoking.

The woman smiled as she hefted it. “Vixen Four at your service.” As each of them piled onto the already lifting ship, Assata held off the enemy with suppressive fire until the ramp closed.

In the cock pit, everyone strapped into their seats. “We aren’t out of the woods yet.” Evaan Verlaine said as she swept a lock of her bright blonde hair from her face and flipped the switches to engage the Hyper Drive. They could hear the scream of TIE fighters just behind them. It didn’t matter. She hit it, and in an instant the stars around them turned to blindingly bright lines as they entered hyperspace. "Now we're out of the woods."

Evaan exhaled, which seemed to give the rest of the crew permission to do the same. She swiveled around to them in her chair. At first no one said anything. Evaan wasn't a scary or cruel woman, but her very presence held a natural air of command around it. Adara bowed her head slightly and averted her eyes, allowing her short dark, partially blue-dyed hair to hide them.

Finally, Adara decided to speak. “I-“

Evaan interrupted her. “Well done, Vixens.” She said in her far more relaxed but ever prevalent Alderaanian accent. Adara looked up to find her smiling. Evaan had a knack for being very pedantic when it came to any missions, but she was so beautiful that when she smiled, everyone else couldn’t help but smile too. And so, Adara also smiled.

Assata chuckled. “Evaan had to keep me from running in there after you two, just so you’re aware.”

“I would say that you did your job well.” Fahili said.

“And Adara, you got what we need?” Evaan asked.

Adara smiled and lifted her data pad. “All right here.”

“Good. Then let’s give Fulcrum a call, sha’ll we?”            

 


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Vixens contact Fulcrum and start part two of their mission for the Rebel Alliance.

 

Ahsoka Tano sat crossed-legged atop a stool in her private quarters. Small bits and pieces of metal hovered and rotated around her regal, horned montrels in a slow, serene orbit. Each of these metal parts were intricate in design and fashioned by hand. The intimately constructed components to some carefully made device. Amongst the metal fragments were two crystals shining a resplendent bright white in response to the all-binding Force, and Ahsoka’s connection to it.

Not so long ago, Ahsoka heard these two kyber crystals crying out to her through the Force. They were in agony, suffering under the crushing, hate-fueled grip of the dark side. Its power demanded their servitude, making them to bleed. When she came to their rescue and defeated the dark side inquisitor who held them, she experienced a moment of clarity that she didn’t fully understand. The crystals were no longer berated by darkness, and she knew that she with inexplicable understanding that it was not her place to call on the power of the light to replace their pain. And so, the Force, pure and unfettered, not compelled nor coerced, flowed through her kybers, marked by a purifying white.

Since that day, for the first time in a very long time, she had opened herself back up to the Force. When Ahsoka left the Jedi order so many years ago, she did so because she knew that there was something fundamentally wrong with their practices. A self-righteousness that came with pledging oneself a Jedi and wielder of the light side of the Force. She didn’t understand what her path would be when she left, but she knew that she could be a Jedi no longer. Her mistake was turning away from the Force, instead of embracing a new understanding of it. The day that she gained her new kyber crystals, she knew that there was so much she needed to learn. And so as often as time would allow, she convened with the Force, seeking to understand her purpose within it.

Her natural impulse was to call out to the force, seeking it's acceptance. She would then use it's power to her advantage. But with this new revelation, this epiphany beyond her full understanding, she felt a tremble whenever she called upon it. She knew, as is the way with the dark side, she could also reach out and demand it's power if she so wished, however this was hardly in her nature. It was only with these prolonged meditations, these introspective journeys of understanding that she began to grasp the gray area in between...

The communications holo-panel on the desk in front of her chimed. She opened her eyes. At once the shards of metal began to pull together. She could see from the read out that it was the Vixen cell trying to get into contact with her. “Computer, engage Fulcrum encryption and patch them through.” The holo-panel chimed, and after a brief delay, an image of Evaan Verlaine showed up on the screen. On her end, Evaan would only see the spire-like symbol representing Fulcrum, and a muddled, concealed voice when Ahsoka spoke. “Vixen Leader, how was the mission?”

“It was a success, Fulcrum. We have the data that holds all known Kuat Drive Yard satellite manufacturing locations. There are dozens of them spread throughout the galaxy.”

“Well done, Vixen leader, your work will be a major benefit to the efforts of the Rebel Alliance.” The shards of metal formed the outer casings of two separate cylindrical objects, but didn’t come fully together yet.

“Now that you mention it… before we started working with you, Bail Organa informed us that there were several cells...” There was a sense of hesitation in Evaan's voice.

“And there are, but we don’t yet have the resources to come together. If the Empire were to catch us all in one place…” The two-white glowing kyber crystals found their way to the center of each cylinder.

“I understand." Evaan nodded just a split second too quickly, rushing past the answer if she wished she'd never asked the question.  "Oh, and Fulcrum… there was a minor hiccup on the mission.”

“Oh?” Ahsoka inquired.

Evaan broke her gaze with the holo cam, but returned it just as quickly. "We didn’t have the cleanest of getaways. The Empire knows that we were there for something, but they don’t know what. They will be on guard.”

Ahsoka smiled, regardless of the fact that the woman couldn't see her. Sometimes it's warmth could be felt even through obscured voices. “We always knew that this was a possibility. I think we should be able to work through these complications. Send the data to the encrypted channel and prepare your team for part 2 of the mission.” The metal clasped around the crystals to form two curve hilted lightsabers. "Fulcrum, out.”

#

“I really wish this ship had some guns on it.” Evaan sighed as she perused through their latest ship’s system files. It was a light maintenance freighter with moderate speed, high powered shields and no weapons. It was equipped with hyperdrive to get where it needed to get, and the shielding was there  to deal with impact from space debris when it navigate under harsher conditions, but it was in no way a combat vessel.

“Sounds like you have a gun problem, Cap.” Assata teased as she put down a shining metal cylinder about the size of Verlaine's forearm.

"You're one to talk. How many time a day do you clean that weapon?" 

"Not nearly as often as you check this ship's maintenance protocols." Assata said as she ran a microweave brush through one of her heavy canon's many barrels. "Relax. Nothing's going to blow this thing up unless we give 'nothing' a reason to."

Evaan sighed flipped of the the maintenance readout for about the dozenth time. “This mission is going to be far riskier than the last one. Even though the Kuat has several manufacturing facilities, we can rest assure that security knows what happened at the Drive Yards. They’ll be on the lookout for us.”

“Of course they will, but do they know what to look for?" Adara asked. She was once again as she fiddlled with the zipper on her maintenance coveralls. "I mean think about it. According to the intel Fulcrum sent back, they are only looking for a Nautolan. Whoever was actually alive to tell the story probably could only make out her blue skin and lekku from a distance. That means Fahili just stays hidden on the ship this time.”

“You needed me the last time." Fahili said as her eyes flicked up from the maintenance datapad she'd been skimming. "In case you forgot.”  

“Well yeah, okay… but this isn’t Kuat. They aren’t going to have nearly as much security.”

“Any place that is building galactic attack cruisers is going to have sufficient security.” Evaan said.

“Or what they _think_ is sufficient.” Adara said, flashing that winning smile. “C’mooon, I can handle myself. Besides, if the intel is right I won’t even have to stray far from the docking bay.”

Fahili sighed and shook her head. “Okay. We’ll be counting on you. But no detours. Do your slicing and come right back. I don't want anything happening to you that I could've been there to stop.”

Adara rolled her eyes and put a hand on her hip. "Yes mother..."

Evaan stood and walked over to Adara. “Are you sure you’re going to be up for this? I know you’re brave, but the kind of slicing you are talking about is very advanced. You’re going to need to get into the system, alter the shipping manifests and still ensure that nobody looking at the manifests will notice.”

“Evaan, I sliced myself out of imperial jail using a dead power socket and rusty droid bolts. I think I can do this.” Adara said with a sly smile as she produced her datapad. “I’m using an algorithm that will only change the manifest as it is transferred to a non-imperial storage source. Meaning the Empire’s systems will still have their original locations. Because the Empire uses civilian shipping pilots, it shouldn’t be a problem. Once the data is transmitted with our information, that same algorithm will then send back a randomized pilot name for their databases, keeping them from tracking what pilot picked up.”

“And then the war machines will be shipped to our specified location. They aren’t outfitted with tracking devices until their final check, so they won’t know what they are. By the time Empire notices the ships are missing, it’ll be too late. They'll be ours." Evaan took deep breath with a smile, resigning to Adara's plan."I have to admit, that's not a bad plan. I'm impressed."

“That is certainly how you exploit a flaw in an overconfident power structure.” Fahili agreed.

Evaan put her hands on Adara’s shoulders. “We’ll be here if you need us. May the Force be with you.”

The station was called Point Amber Bravo, and it was one of three that orbited the small uninhabited sun colored moon called Amber 3 of the Amber system. All of the stations were built with the explicit task of building battle vessels, the moon's supply of doonium being the primary reasoning for location. They could mine for centuries and never run out.

 

Docking on the station was simple enough. Though the commanding officer on duty complained about them not being on the scheduled list of arrivals, Evaan countered with the fact that there were several dozen ships that docked any maintenance area outside of the main schedule on any given day. Disgruntled, he allowed them to land, only to complain more about them only bringing one worker. This too, was common, but not as much as at least three or four on even a vessel as small as their maintenance freighter.

“Just stopping to refuel and restock on equipment.” Adara said to him as she pushed a grav lift off the ship. It carried containers that were only half-filled with ship repair equipment. “I’ll be out of your hair faster than fathier in a foot race.” He didn’t smile.

The facility was far less streamlined than any of the engineering bays on Kuat, but it served the same general purpose- Building war ships. Adara was escorted by a couple of Stormtroopers past the terminal she was hoping to use, but once they arrived at the repair bay equipment request terminal, they left her to her business.

The deployment was no easy task, even for the well-experienced slicer. Unlike downloading files, uploading required yet another level of permissions, and thus more slicing. She took her time, carefully navigating the Imperial Cyberspace as to not make any mistakes. She had no reason to rush, this time.

She was almost finished when she noticed a peculiarity in the code. “That doesn’t seem right.” The young Mirialan said as her brows knit together in confusion. Curious, she dove deeper into the rabbit hole where she found another algorithm not too different from her own… perhaps even better than her own. She grimaced and on a hunch, accessed the cameras to the bay that would hold the ships that they were planning to steal. 

In the bay there were a few stormtroopers and engineers walking to and fro. A few smaller ships, mostly TIE's hung, awaiting final inspection. But no where did she see any of the battle cruisers they were there for. She flipped back to the manifest. According to the Empire, they should’ve still been there.

Adara accessed her comm. “Ev-, Vixen Leader, we have a slight issue…”

“This is Vixen Leader, what’s the problem?” Evaan’s voice came through.

“Those ships we were planning to steal? They aren’t there.”

A pause. Then “Did the Empire already ship them out?”

“No that’s just it. The manif-“

“Oh, my word, you are _good_ …” a strange voice came through their _encrypted_ channel.

“What the-“ Adara almost cursed.

“Who is this, and how are you on our channel?” Vixen Leader demanded.

“My dear anyone who's taken a basic signaling course could get on your channel.” The voice said, failing to hide its apathy.

“Who. The Hell. Are you?” Evaan demanded again.

“A man who really likes the prim and sass in your voice. I think it’s compelling me to save you.”

“We don’t need-“ Evaan started.

He interrupted “-for me to tell you that there has been an order issued to capture you or kill you if you show resistance?" A silence hung on the channel for a moment or so. "Okay then. The Empire scanned your ship shortly after you arrived and ascertained that you had more life forms than you informed them about. You may want to prepare to defend yourselves.” He said, with a little less amusement and perhaps a hint of urgency.

Adara startled at the sound of a snap-hiss followed by the low hum of a powerful but steady energy field. She turned, with some apprehension. Standing there was an impossibly large man wearing a face mask and dark garbs. In his hand was a lightsaber with a circular hilt, the red blade extended. Adara looked at him dead in the eyes as she spoke. “Vixen Leader, call Fulcrum. Tell him we need back up. Right. Now.”

 

 


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Vixen Squadron face down a dark side Inquisitor.

“Someone is on the way.” Ahsoka cut the transmission and ran out of the room so quickly that she nearly forgot her lightsabers. As if startled by her leave, the weapons lifted and rushed after her. When they caught up to her she grabbed them out of the air and clipped each one to the opposite sides of her waist without breaking stride. When she came to the deck, she didn't slow, but still addressed the ship's captain, Commander Sato. “Vixen Squadron is in trouble. I’m going. _Don’t_ follow me.”

And before he could answer, she was down at the ship’s docking port where her Interceptor sat attached to the larger CR90 Corvette. The Actis class Interceptor was a small, fast, maneuverable ship that many Jedi used in battle during the Clone Wars. It was light, but with it's great performance at close range, it lacked the design or capacity for a hyperdrive. As such, it required the additional support of a hyperspace ring for long distance travel. 

 

Ahsoka's was already fitted around it. As she slipped down through the vertical air lock that dropped her right into the seat of the one-man vessel, she ran through the possibilities of what could have gone wrong. The Vixen team had done everything right up this point, and while they expected resistance, an Inquisitor was hardly the kind of opposition she would have imagined that they would to run into. These beings were Ex-Jedi, reprobate to the light side of the force, employed by the Dark Lords of the Sith to do their bidding. As formidable as the Vixen team was, she knew that their chances of surviving an attack by one of them was slim. 

 

Ahsoka was also an Ex-Jedi, but she hardly discarded the light side in favor of the dark. Ahsoka was also the rebellion's foremost liaison and source of intelligence. No one but Bail Organa and a few of the highest level members of the forming alliance even knew who she was. She adapted the moniker 'Fulcrum' to keep her identity hidden, as to not compromise any missions. She was the link between the individual rebel cells, and she managed their individual missions. 

 

She couldn't send rebel ships after the team because most of those close enough were republic vessels whose signatures hadn't been scrubbed, and would give the Empire far too much insight on who in the Galactic Senate was a part of the forming Rebel Alliance. Furthermore, doing so would only be funneling lives through that Inquisitor's lightsaber. She knew it had to be her. She had no choice but to reveal herself. Because if she didn't, an entire rebel cell was going to die. 

 

#

 

Adara inched away from the crackle of the red bladed lightsaber. "Jedi..." she said under her breath. Her usual comic mirth had been supplanted by pure fear. 

 

"Yes, at one time I was ignorant enough to live by their cretinous scruples. But no longer..." the figure said as he stalked forward, his voice distorted through the breathing filter of his mask, giving it an errant quality.

 

Adara noticed the Stormtroopers remained by the door, only watching. She knew she wouldn't survive a moment fighting him. "Then... what are you?"

 

"What makes you think I should indulge your questions? Your life along with the permission to speak was forfeit the moment you and your band of rebels landed here." his voice was cold and hollow, and sounded like no living thing could sound. 

 

"He's an Inquisitor. Lackey of the Empire." It was that strange voice that had intruded on the Vixen's encrypted line, chiming in once again. "But he's a very formidable lackey, so I wouldn't press my luck." 

 

"Adara get out of there, we are coming for you!" Fahili said over the channel. 

 

"I wouldn't recommend that." the voice said again.

 

"Who the hell are you? Get off our line!" Assata said.

 

"The names Glaize. I figured I'd stay to monitor the situation." 

 

Evaan also came in on the channel, ignoring him. "Adara, I informed Fulcrum of the situation. He's sending back up. We took out the Stormtroopers that were guarding our ships. We are coming your way right now."

 

Adara didn't say anything, she only kept inching away from the Inquisitor, moving close to her grav lift, as he moved closer to her. "Tell me what data you and your rebels stole from Kuat, and what additional data you are trying to steal from this facility." his yellow tinted eyes never left hers.

 

"Heh. Data. This guy's dense." Glaize said. 

 

"What makes you think we took anything?" she asked as she discreetly felt her fingers along the edge of the grav lift.

 

"I have no patience for this charade. You will tell me what I want to know." his voice grew somehow even more errant.

 

Adara's fingers found what she was looking for. "Um... No?" She was swift. The two thermal detonators flew from her hands at the same time that she leaped backwards. She didn't have to watch them sailing through the air to know that they would hit their target. Her aim was true. 

 

But they that did not hit their target. The Inquisitor held his free hand up and there the two metal spheres hovered in the air, just a few feet from him. Neither exploded. The Stormtroopers that had been previously on watch were now on either side of him, weapons raised. The Inquisitor, titled his head. "You rebels are more incompetent than I could have imagined. You threw these detonators before you activated them." 

 

Adara grinned  with narrowed eyes as she held up a remote detonator in her hand. "I know." She thumbed it. Even as he tried to will them away, the blast erupted in a deafening explosion as Adara rolled back to her feet. "I know how you Jedi roll. Thought I was gonna let you force push two active thermal detonators back at my face?"

 

"Oh, you're definitely my type." Glaize said over the communicator. 

 

"I'm everybody's type!" Adara said as she sprinted in the opposite direction. She didn't have time to retrieve one of the blasters from the grav lift or to check and see if the Inquisitor and his Stormtroopers were dead. All she had time to do, was run. "Vixen Leader where are you?" 

 

#

 

The air smelled of heated lasers as the blaster bolts flew all around Evaan's head. The entire mission had been hell since she, Fahili and Assata had left the ship. It seemed that every Stormtrooper on the station was shooting at them. But they made progress. Together, the women were able to cut down most of their opposition, in no small way thanks to Assata's heavy weaponry. Evaan, born into high class Alderaanian society, was far more tuned to flying than foot soldier operations. But that didn't mean she was no good on the ground. Her scoped DH-17 blaster pistol had never failed her. 

 

Back when she was still living on Alderaan, her repeated controversial questions in the young diplomatic pilot course, caught the attention of Queen Breha. The Queen, who had been secretly heading the formation of the Rebel alliance, along with her husband, Bail Organa, eventually offered her the opportunity to work as a leader of her own Rebel cell. Evaan agreed under one condition- her best friend Assata would be part of her team. 

 

Bail introduced them to Fahili, a Nautolan ex-bounty hunter who'd recently broken away from Saw Gerrara's partisan group when it was still in its early stages. She was seeking a means to fight back against the Empire without using tactics that would endanger civilian lives. He put them in contact with Fulcrum and they were given their first mission. It called for them to attack an Imperial transport that was hauling innocent civilians who were meant to be made into slaves. That is where they picked up Adara who they found was already in the process of fashioning her own escape. When she helped their mission succeed by jamming the imperial transmissions and overloading their engines, Evaan knew they found their fourth member. 

 

Now she was going to save that member. The new room was a TIE Fighter inspection bay. The ships here were nearly complete save for the final checks. She spied the TIE interceptors that they'd recently received intel on. They were a new class of fighter, faster, more maneuverable, and packing more firepower than any other light ship of its size. "Adara, we are almost to you. Where is the Inquistor?" Evaan said over the comms as she ducked behind a stack of supply crates for cover. Fahili stacked next to her. Assata arched her weapon around, spraying powerful shots into the enemy's position. 

 

"I don't know I threw some bombs at him and ran the other way." Adara replied. "Maybe he's dead?" 

 

"He's not dead." Glaize said. "Look alive, ladies."

 

The cacophony of blaster fire faded as a lone figure stalked through the opening of a smoke filled corridor. His obsidian garbs were torn and tattered, parts of it singed, and others frayed. Half of his face mask had been shattered, revealing one hard, angry eye, pupils tainted by a maleficent amber, burning with feverish hate. Evaan raised her blaster, trying to keep her hand steady as her finger caressed the trigger.

 

"Iiiii wouldn't do that if I were you." Glaize warned. "Ever see a Jedi in action? Their defense is an even better offense. You don't want to die that way. I would imagine it would feel quite like shooting yourself." 

 

Fahili stepped forward, slipping a thin, contracted vibrospear from her back. “I'll handle this." She activated the Nautolan weapon and it extended from both sides to reach a length of 1.5 meters, one end extending three claws at the end to flank it's forward, sharpened point. The weapon surged with crackling energy. "Cover the Stormtroopers for me."

 

As if it were a cue, the blaster bolts started up again. Assata responded, somehow taking long strafing strides, even as she fired her heavy duty weapon, her muscles straining against the recoil, as she maintained deft accuracy. Evaan focused on those that looked to fire on Fahili, so that she could focus on the Inquisitor. 

 

Even as she approached, Fahili could sense the power that burned within her opponent. There was a heat that accompanied a raging hate, and she could feel the strength of it in her bones. Fahili was not a force user, but she could imagine that his immersion with the dark side was deep. His single revealed eye bored into her even as he activated the crimson blade of his lightsaber. She contemplated her foe, thinking of the stories her heard of the great feats of the Jedi and compared it with what she felt now. She'd never had the honor of doing battle with one before, and she would be lying if she were to say that she wasn't excited to see what one was capable of firsthand.

 

He made the first move. As if launched from a canon, he flew from several yards away, blade raised above his head, and came down on her with a strength and speed unprecedented. She managed to guard, but she knew instantly that should would need to end this bout quickly if she wished to survive it. His tenacity seemed supernatural. To make matters worse, vibrospears, even of the enhanced Nautolan design were not generally equipped to do battle against lightsabers. Still, if she played her cards right, she could parry all of his blows in a way that would allow the spear's energy field to hold up against the greater power of the lightsaber without it getting sheared straight in half. 

 

This feat proved to be far more difficult in practice than theory. While the Inquisitor's attacks weren't terribly refined, each one was relentless. She could feel the animus in his every swing. Even with glancing strikes, she was driven back. She was known for her speed, yet even still she found hardly any moment to make an offensive strike. 

 

Then came one of his less refined blows, and one of her more well timed parries. He was open. She jabbed and struck him at the hip, but he'd shifted his leg in time to make what would have been a battle defining blow into nothing more than a trivial flesh wound. Still, she was now on the offense. When she pulled back, she moved into a spin, that forced him to step back, and then ducked when the spear came around in a wide horizontal arc. The spin brought her back into close range, where with her off hand she underhanded one of her many hidden vibroblades and impaled him in the abdomen. 

 

Instead of crying out he grunted, and Fahili could see the hate in his eye before he back slapped her so hard she thought she would pass out. Her headtails flailed around her head as she spun and dropped to a knee. "Fahili!" Evaan cried out as she fired her blaster at the Inquisitor, but he easily deflected the shots with his saber.

 

"Hey!" Assata shouted as she hefted her weapon. "Deflect this!" When she pulled the trigger, the bolts came in a blinding torrent. But to their surprise, he held his saber in front of him, and the other end of it extended. Then, to make matters worse, it began to spin. Impossibly, he deflected every round from Assata's heavy canon. The bolts went wild. The Vixens darted in all directions, scrambling for cover in attempt to avoid being hit. 

 

Hoping to catch him while distracted, Fahili sprinted back at him. Catching her in his peripheral the inquisitor quickly extended his hand towards a supply crate not far away and through the force, flung towards Fahili. The impact sent her spinning. And then he was on her. It was all she could do to block the first strike, but the second cut clean through her vibrospear sheering the weapon uselessly in two. He kicked her in the abdomen, sending her to the ground. 

 

"You rebels don't learn do you?" he said as he brandished his spinning lightsaber. The whir of the blades was terrifying. He dashed forward, bringing his weapon deadly weapon down toward Fahili. She shut her eyes, awaiting death. 

 

To her surprise, she felt no heat, no pain. Tentatively she wondered if the craftmanship behind a lightsaber's ability to cut and cauterize so quickly left the victim numb without realizing what had happened. But then she heard the loud crackling sizzle that only existed when two equally powerful energy fields clashed with one another. She opened her eyes to see a bright, white blade holding the Inquisitor's weapon at bay. Holding that blade was a silhouette of a tall thin woman, horns on her head that connected to three long head-tails, two of which spilled over slim shoulders like a royal head dress. 

 

Ahsoka Tano stared at the inquisitor through narrowed eyes. "I think it's the Empire that can stand to learn a thing or two."

 


End file.
